92SermonsofJonathanEdwards
instructions, counsels, warnings, and good examples are accompanied with such outward kindness, the latter tends to open the way for the better effect of the former, and to give them their full force, and to lead such persons to appreciate our efforts when we seek their spiritual good. And we may thus contribute to the good of others, in three ways: by giving to them of those things that they need, and we possess by doing for them and taking pains to help them and promote their welfare, and by suffering for them and aiding them to bear their burdens, and doing all in our power to make those burdens light. In each of these ways, Christianity requires us to do good to others. It requires us to give to others (Luke 6:38) — "Give, and it shall be given unto you." It requires us to do for others, and to labor for them (1 Thes. 2:9) — "For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail; for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God;" and Heb. 6:10 — "For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love," etc. And it requires us, if need be, to suffer for others (Gal. 6:2) — " Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ;" and 1 John 3:16 — "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the. brethren." So that, in all these ways, the Scriptures require us to do good to all. I pass, then, to speak,
2. Of the objects of this act, or of those to whom we should do good. — These are often spoken of in the Scriptures by the expression, "our neighbour;" for the duty before us is implied in the command, that we love our neighbor as ourselves. But here, perhaps, we may be ready, with the young lawyer that came to Christ (Luke 10:29, etc.), to ask, "Who is my neighbour?" And as Christ's answer taught him that the Samaritan was neighbor to the Jew, though the Samaritans and Jews were each esteemed by the other vile and accursed, and as bitter enemies, so we may be taught who those are to whom we are to do good, in three respects: —
First, we are to do good both to the good and to the bad. This we are to do, as we would imitate our heavenly Father, for "he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Mat. 5:43-45). The world is full of various kinds of persons some good, and some evil; and we should do good to all. We should, indeed, especially "do good to them that are of the household of faith," or that we have reason, in the exercise of charity, to regard as saints. But though we should most abound in beneficence to them, yet our doing good should not be confined to them, but we should do good to all men, as we have opportunity. While we live in the world, we must expect to meet with some men of very evil properties, and hateful dispositions and practices. Some are proud, some immoral, some covetous, some profane, some unjust or severe, and some despisers of God. But any or all of these bad qualities should not hinder our beneficence, nor prevent our doing them good as we have opportunity. On this very account, we should the rather be diligent to benefit them, that we may win them to Christ, and especially should we be diligent to benefit them in spiritual things.
Second, we should do good both to friends and enemies. We are obliged to do good to our friends, not only from the obligation we are under to do good to them as our fellow creatures, and those that are made in the image of God, but from the obligations of friendship and gratitude, and the affection we bear them. And we are also obliged to do good to our enemies; for our Savior says (Mat. 5:44), "But I say unto you, Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you." To do good to those that do ill to us, is the only retaliation that becomes us as Christians; for we are taught (Rom. 12:17-21) to "recompense to no man evil for evil," but, on the contrary, to "overcome evil with good;" and again, it is written (1 Thes. 5:15)"See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men;" and still again (1 Pet. 3:9) — "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for